Four candidates are running in each of the two special elections Jan. 9 to fill vacancies in the Georgia Senate and House of Representatives.
The elections are being held to fill the seats of former Sen. Rick Jeffares and former Rep. Brian Strickland. Jeffares, R-McDonough, resigned to run for lieutenant governor, and Strickland, R-McDonough, stepped down to seek Jeffares' Senate position.
Candidates filed papers to run in the special elections last week. Runoff elections will be held Feb. 6 if needed.
The candidates seeking the Senate seat are Ed Toney, a Republican retired civil engineer; Nelva Lee, a Republican business owner, Phyllis Hatcher, a Democratic pastor; and Strickland. Senate District 17 seat covers parts of Henry, Newton and Rockdale counties.
For the House seat, the candidates are El-Mahdi Holly, a Democratic substitute teacher; Geoffrey Cauble, a Republican general contractor; Larry Morey, a Republican real estate developer; and Tarji Dunn, a Democratic real estate broker. House District 111 is in Henry County.
